The Bozeman weekly chronicle., 1887-03-30
A LETTER FROM NELSON STORY.
The True Status OF i.lr fiaTk's Fork
Range Losses.

BozEMAN. March 22nd, 1887.
EDITOR CHRoNIuLE:-In answer to the
several articles recently appearing in the
Billings Gazette concerning the loss on
my cattle ranging on Clark's Fork, or
the Panhandle, would say: One Charles
Wickham was put in charge last fall and
conducted the fall round-up-I owning
about one-nalf OF the cattle on this
range. Directly after the roundup di-
rected tins party to move all of my cat
tie off of Rock and Red Lodge creeks,
across Clark's Fork, INTO fresh ranges,
where the grass was good. About one
month after the order was given he went
out and made drive Of cattle, estimated
at two or three thousand, and returned
to Park City, ! went down and instruct
ed him to make two more drives and to
remove the cattle thoroughly. He went
over with two men and drove the lower
portion of Rock creek. distance of five
miles and then returned to Park City for
rest. wrote him repeatedly after this
to move the cattle to a fresh range, but
no effort was made on his part, only to
answer that the cattle were all right and
not to be uneasy. Seeing that all my eff
forts were in vain, l concluded if the
cattle were moved would have to do it
myself, consequently took my bed and
saddle and went to Park City on the 25th
of January and on the 2nd of February
l started out with five men to finish the
work l had repeatedly ordered done. l
made two drives, one down Rock creek
and one off of Elbow creek, Mr.. Wick
ham being along, cheering me by his
statements as to what he had done be-
fore, &c. Said the majority of my cattle
laid on Clark's Fork and he would war
rant them all right. He knew would
not lose ten per cent; that he had been
all around and the cattle were doing well,
&c. On the 9th Mr.. Dilworth left note
at Olden's ranch, at the mouth of Rock
creek, for me, in which he stated that in
coming down the river on the ice he had
counted So head of dead cattle sticking
out of the brush between the third and
fourth crossings of Clark's Fork, and that
he did not know how many more lay
back in the brush. | showed this note
to Wickham. who pronounced it false
and was willing to insure all the cattle
up there for nothing; but started up the
next day and drove some 200 head of
cattle out of the bare bluffs, across Clark's
Fork and on to fine feed, but the snow
being deep and crnsted our work was
hard and tedious, and we did not reach
our camp, (Which was tent, until o o.
clock at night, and had no dinner Of
course this was hardship, but no one
found any fault but this insurance
man, Wickham. Although am nearly
fifty, I rode and walked as far as any
man in the party. This man Wickham
thought the most of the cattle would get
through the winter without such trouble.
Up to this time / had only counted in
one pile SO dead cattle and the scattering
ones were too numerous to count. The
following day reached the stage station
some fifteen miles up the river where l
was so positively assured that the cattle
were not only fat but all right. The llrst
patch of brush, about an acre Of thorn
bush, one-fourth of mile above the
station, counted 36 head, and opposite
20 head of dead cattle, and thirteen on
their feet and they were in condition
to live but short time. This was the
condition in which l found the country
for the next ten miles, At least 80 per
cent. of the cattle were dead, and here
lay the larger portion of my cattle right
| in sight of as fine feed and bare ground
| as exists in Montana, two miles to the
east of Clark's Fork; where had early
and often ordered the cattle put. My
cattle had wintered here two winters,
and the range was as as bare of grass as
the streets of Bozeman and would not
sustain an animal in midsummer much
less in winter. My cattle, and others,
were left in this condition last fall, with
eight months before them in which to
live on sagebrush-or die. Paying man
one hundred dollars per month, furnish
| ing him dozen men and hundred
head of horses, ali the delicacies the
world could produce and money could
buy, and yet six weeks labor in round
ing up to brand is all the labor that
could be had. Moving cattle was extra
work, consequently all effort to get it
done failed. In regard to other herds ad-
joining mine, Jefiriest. Haynard's Cooks,
Floweree & Lowry's, WV, 70 and other
brands grazing on the east side of Clark s
Fork, any estimate of their loss will not
exceed ten per cent. If had secured
the removal of my cattle my losses
would not have exceeded that amount,
perhaps less. For the truth as tn the
condition of the ranges and cattle refer
You to VIM. Moody, Sib. Toll, Ralph
Bailey and others who helped me dur
ing the month of February to move the
cattle. l estimate my loss at two-thirds
of all my herd, counting some two thous.
| tiiht ildu Epttth 'tll vi tlllS lfdp "
the other side of Clark's Fork during
the summer On these two thousand |
estimate no loss as they are where the
feed is good and were fat in the fall The
range from saltwater to Dilworth's
where grazed twenty thousand head oi
cattle last fall, will not round up foul
thousand this spring, in my opinion
and l have worked every day in Februa
ry and up to the 18th day of March try.
ing to find out the situation But
do not mean to infer that this is the sit
uation throughout the territory, or ir
any other place but this,
NELSON STORY.
BORN